§ 27. Mr. Frederic Harrisasked the Postmaster-General why, at approximately 1.45 p.m. on Sunday, 29th January, it took nearly 20 minutes and more than 200 rings on the telephone at Woldingham 2365 to get the operator to answer; and what action he proposes to take to improve this service.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterThis was due to an intermittent fault between Woldingham automatic exchange and the switchboard, which had not been detected by routine testing. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
§ Mr. HarrisWill the hon. Gentleman note that these intermittent faults are constantly occurring, and will he make sure that, until there is an improvement in the service, there can be no question of increasing telephone rentals?
§ Mr. SlaterThe circuits at this exchange between Woldingham and the 776 switchboard are systematically tested. The fault was intermittent, as I have said, and it was of a type which was not detectable by the normal testing procedures. With the best will in the world, we cannot prevent occasional failures of this kind.